This invention relates to resilient supports for objects such as bearing blocks for pulleys, and more particularly to a support for flexibly and resiliently supporting a bearing block from its base.
A conventional pulley comprises a head and side plates extending from the head. One or more rotatable sheaves are disposed between the side plates. The sheaves have outer peripheral grooves on which a flexible line is movably carried.
Pulleys or bearing blocks are extensively used on sailing vessels. The head of a block is usually attached to a support, such as to a deck, or to a car on a track. The blocks are typically attached by U-shaped fittings to allow freedom of movement as the block is being loaded by the line. In cases where the line alternatively becomes slack and tight, it is desirable to provide a resilient support to prevent the block from hitting surfaces near the support and to hold the block upright and to prevent line entanglement.
Proposals have already been made for resiliently supporting a block in an upright or vertical position relative to a support. Helical springs have been used for this purpose. Another device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,371, which is a resilient cone-shaped device disposed between the base of the block and a support surface, with the cone extending around the attachment fittings.